Aracus is a spider. The only genus in its family. A genus with only one species. Biology for beginners. Another Aracus was an admiral in the ancient Spartan fleet around 400 B.C.  – a figure obfuscated by history and power structures, a placeholder of sorts for the person who was actually in charge. Then, there’s ‘Aracus’ by qrauer – about an equal mix of singularity and deception. ‘Aracus’ holds both, surface pleasure and a whole other world opening underneath a decent set of headphones. 

qrauer is a German electronic duo comprised of Christian Grochau, one of the best drummers in his part of the forest as well as a regular remixer and electronic musician under the moniker Heart Island, and Ludwig Bauer, an established pianist, multi-instrumentalist, and arranger. The two make a stellar combination. It is the musicianship at the heart of qrauer that is making their music so unique. Their tender improvisations, their loops, and modulations seem to flow so effortlessly, the full extent of their experimentalism is being kept carefully disguised. 

After having done some remarkable remix work for Alex Stolze and Woods of Birnam, ‘Aracus’ marks their debut of independent electronic compositions. The E.P.’s four organic tracks, each clocking in at around six minutes, feel as if they are designed like journeys in an expensive car. As a listener, one doesn’t quite realize how bumpy the road really gets. Landscapes gradually change behind the windshield - from icy heights through dense woodlands out onto sun-flooded topless beaches. There’s a warm, housey pulse to these compositions and one never really gets thrown off by their deconstructivist approach and the way they seem to carefully inspect and transform each and every sound.   

qrauer is a utopia of sorts - tender technoid handcraft put together in a tiny basement studio somewhere in Germany. The qrauer live appearances are going to be solo sets by Christian Grochau exploring the reality of this music.

https://www.facebook.com/qrauer/
https://www.facebook.com/nonostarrecords/

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Qrauer - Aracus EP

taken from ARACUS EP , Qrauer is our newest signing on nonostar records, Mulchen is their first single release: https://qrauer.bandcamp.com/track/mulchen

Aracus EP

Mulchen

Qrauer - Mulchen

Nonostar Records represents not only a new musical vision, but a geographical one too. Sitting on the border of Germany and Poland, its half-renovated ruins house a custom-built recording studio, a record label and an experimental art collective. Here, select collaborators from around the world  - and from a range of musical backgrounds - combine to create the unique Nonostar sound. Producer, composer and label head Alex Stolze has drawn together acclaimed artists from the modern classical scene, cutting edge electronic producers and innovative songwriting talents to share in a vision of music that’s at once timeless and contemporary; a melancholic minimalist style characterised by spacious, immersive production and uncompromisingly original compositions. The studio on the border offers a vision of music without borders - its growing international roster and open-minded approach to genre are a testament to that.